Winning Over a Foodie

Lily Evans was born a farm girl, so names like Alexander Hayes or Gregory Gu Jr. meant nothing to her. But she did understand official titles! The Gu family was incredibly influential: the former Grand Secretary, now his grandson is the top Imperial Grand Tutor, and their power is simply overwhelming. If their family is opening an academy, it must be something extraordinary!

Lily's eyes lit up instantly—maybe this investment in school district property could really work!

"Mr. Li, do you know where Phoenix Academy will be built?" Lily asked.

Leonard Li smiled faintly. He already suspected Lily had more on her mind, and now, seeing her expression, he was sure of it. "Well, Miss Evans, you've asked the right person. In Greenfield City, aside from me, hardly anyone knows where Phoenix Academy will be located. But if I tell you, what's in it for me?"

Lily frowned. Was this guy really trying to take advantage of her at a time like this?

"How about... three new dishes?" Lily bargained.

Leonard Li waved five fingers. "Five."

"Deal!" Lily nodded immediately. Five dishes for such valuable intel? That was a steal!

"You have to cook them yourself," Leonard Li added, fanning himself.

"You got it!" Lily agreed without hesitation and dashed into the kitchen, quickly whipping up five signature dishes, each representing the essence of Cantonese (mild, fresh flavors), Sichuan (spicy, bold flavors), Jiangsu-Zhejiang (delicate, sweet-savory flavors), and other regional cuisines.

When Leonard Li saw those five dishes, his gaze deepened. Secretly, he thought this young lady's cooking skills were truly unfathomable! If he ever got the chance, he’d definitely coax her into becoming his personal chef.

Leonard Li wasn’t one to go back on his word. Since Lily had made five dishes, he revealed the location of Phoenix Academy to her, explaining that construction had already begun at Tenmile Hill on the eastern edge of the city. Because it was still a secret, the people of Greenfield City hadn't heard a thing about it yet.

Lily immediately asked Mr. Baker to help her find out if anyone was selling houses or shops near Tenmile Hill.

Mr. Baker was surprised. "Tenmile Hill? That place is way out of the way! Why would you want to look for shops there, Miss Evans? If you want to buy a shop, it should be in Greenfield City itself. I know plenty of middlemen—I can help you find the best deal."

Lily replied, "Just help me ask around, Mr. Baker. If anyone wants to sell a house, let me know."

Seeing Lily's determination, Mr. Baker agreed. "Alright, I’ll ask around tomorrow. Tenmile Hill is cheap—shops there aren’t worth much. Miss Evans, are you sure you want to do this?"

Lily grinned. That’s exactly what she wanted! The fact that it wasn’t worth much now made it the perfect opportunity. She’d buy low, then rent or sell high once the academy opened—easy profit!

"Great, I’ll wait for news tomorrow. Oh, and Mr. Baker, can you also help me find out about someone named Howard Liu at Greenfield Academy?" Lily added, remembering to help Cynthia Wu with her crush.

To her surprise, Mr. Baker replied, "No need to ask around. I know everyone at Greenfield Academy—they often come to eat at Savory House. Just ask me!"

So Mr. Baker told Lily everything he knew about Howard Liu.

Turns out, Howard Liu was closest to the wealthy Benjamin Zhang at the academy. Howard’s family owned a thousand acres of good farmland and ran a successful cotton business—they weren’t short on money. Howard looked the part of a gentleman, but underneath it all, he was a bit of a fraud: he spent his days loafing around with Benjamin Zhang, eating, drinking, and pretending to be cultured.

Howard Liu hadn’t married yet, but rumor had it his family already gave him several live-in maids.